Category Archives: GUIDES

Brave players have discovered that Team Fortress 2 contains the latest updates and UFO invasion, which has now begun suddenly appeared in the popular shooter valve.

Update Considerations No special requirements for any of this, but the company seems to be preparing to launch a new event. I joined a valve on the map 2Fort server this afternoon, found scattered around the map a few posters and a UFO hovering at a distance. You can check out some screenshots below.Viryx had to back away to avoid getting cut by the jagged edges of the copper-hued armor that flared out from the bladetalon’s chest and rose over his shoulders.

The Facepunch Forum members claimed UFOs and posters suddenly appeared in other maps. Users DevinWatson report said, the code also contains new asset “update_invasion”, including posters and UFOs.hunting ravagers…” she said, her voice meek. For the first time, a sliver of fear raced through her.

What purpose, these remain unclear facade; at the moment, it may be just some of the provocative soon. TF2 have some traditional activities to celebrate Halloween (runaway as the Headless Horseman 2010), and throughout the year by the will of UFO center. It may also simply because someone in the valve is excited about the X-Files return, taking into account the “I Want to Believe” poster references show.

Valve has yet to make an official notification about the UFO, but for some trailer called the invasion updated and leaked earlier this year. We will closely monitor the official news of what happened.

Runescape, one of the longest-running MMOs, has finally picked up what is generally considered a core element of the genre: raids. The game’s first raid come in the form of a 10-player journey through the new world of Mazcab fighting the minions of Tuska: a god who was defeated in a recent Runescape world event.

“We are truly excited to finally bring raids to RuneScape,” said David Osborne, lead designer of RuneScape in a press release. “Their introduction brings added depth to the current ‘endgame’ for high-level players, offering up the toughest boss in the game, as well as a raft of great content including mini-quests, exclusive rewards and stacks of other content for our players to engage with.”

Players can travel to Mazcab through a portal found ontop of Tuska’s corpse. As well as the raid, the new zone has a variety of mini-quests, a PvP mini-game, and a procedurally-generated forest to explore. Inside players can discover new rewards such as level 90 tank armour, and three new pets.

The Mazcab raid is for members only, so you’ll need to pay a monthly subscription to get involved.

Guild Wars 2 is an MMO with a difference, apparently. Apart from being a full fledged game that does not require a monthly subscription or cheap free to play tactics to sustain itself, it also has what has been termed by the developers and fans ‘a living story.’

Now the story is going to get even better, say the developers. As Joystiq reports, Game Director Colin Johanson shared some plans about the game’s future in an interview with USGamer.

“There is now, and certainly will be a lot larger focus on ensuring that the content we’re building is creating experiences that people can permanently have when they come back two years later,” he said. “Instead of saying, ‘I see something that happened two years ago but I can’t experience it,’, we want players to say, ‘I’m playing this and I’m playing it as a result of something that happened two years ago.’”

Walking War Robots is a multiplayer robot shooter from Pixonic LLC, featuring 6v6 robotic real-time battles. Recently, the exciting shooter got a big update that added new map, new user interface, new daily tasks and so on. Check out the details in below
* The new map is named Dead City which is a symmetrical map with special areas for long-range weapons, several shelters for extremelly huge robots, special landshaft areas that give vast advantages for team play, and some open areas where a light robot may damage a strong one. The map is made for dynamic battles and is not good for those who like camping and playing hide-and-seek.

* Another main change is a new hangar interface. The interface now has animated menu for robot and weapon selection and 3D view of the selected robot.

* A player now can get in-game gold by completing new daily tasks.

* Besides, there are some improvements to weapon balance, mostly the balance of fire and energy weapons for mid and long range combats, and launch Walking War Robots for Android platform.

As for the game development process, the developer have ported the game to Unity 5 Engine. The new engine helped the game to solve a lot of issues and to reach more beautiful and realistic graphics, as well as smooth run of the game on weak devices.

Hidden Heroes is a real-time strategy game from 505 Games. The game’s art design utilizes realistic painting style. Players in the game must forge allegiances and crush The Chaos Cultists in merciless horde battles to retain rulership, and then build and rule the mightiest Kingdom across all the lands.

At the beginning the game, players need to select a hero from Usus (Warrior), Hemi (Archer) and Tempus (Caster). After completing the tutorial, there will be two more heroes for recruiting. Each hero’s has its special attributes – Warrior has high HP, but low attack, Archer and Axethrower have high attack but low HP. So, they have different positions in the battle. To win the battle, they need to cooperate. The game has many kinds of battlefields, which have different terrain properties. For example when your heroes walk across the river, his movement speed will be very slow.

After tutorial, you can lead troops to occupy a castle as your kingdom, which will give you some gold everyday. Next, you can continues attacking other castles and mines, and making them your own. You can send a hero to garrison your new kingdom. And your new castles will also give you daily gold. Of course, your castles can be also invaded by other players.

The game utilizes real-time battle system. When a battle begins, you can drag your troops to the appointed place and double click enemy to attack. Each hero has special ability, which can deal huge damage to enemy. Keep in mind that the warrior hero should be in front of your DPS heroes to protect them. Besides, when you fight against a strong enmey, you can use hit-and-run skill to defeat it. These tips will help you win the battle more easily.

Hidden Heroes is now available on Apple App Store for free. Players who like real-time strategy games can take a try.

I’ve still been thinking about the news over at Day C (Daybreak) and what it will mean for the development of their future games. I still believe that their primary developments and future projects like Hizzy and Everquest Next will continue but then, my concern now is whether or not they will be the same as the would otherwise. Or as good.

It’s funny, but even though a lot of people weren’t really concerned about the dismissal of Dave Georgeson that was the main element that put up the red flag for me. Yes, he didn’t actually create anything I guess. He is not a developer per se and mostly just a PR persona. He has some incredible gaffs too that everyone had to fix for him over and over and over again.

What he was though was a dreamer, and game development needs those people.

Looking at Dave Georgeson he seemed to be the vision behind much of the Everquest franchise. He was the one championing new ideas, mechanics and technology within the media, yes some probably weren’t his original ideas but they would have been the muse for him to take it further. These ideas the got further developed, designed and implemented, sometimes not as well but it is this kind of process that is a huge learning process.

There are quite a few more dreamers out there like Mark Jacobs, Mark Kern, Chris Roberts, Richard Garriot and others are the epitome of these types and are far more valuable than the Publishers and investors might believe.

Personally I believe it is these types of people that are bringing the genre forward. They are the ones championing the new ideas and experiences that then become needed parts. That people then look towards when developing for the future. They are the ones that make their MMO’s stand out from the sea of mediocrity with their vision, whether fully realised or not. MMO’s without them is nothing, it’s Swtor. It’s a game run with a single purpose and seemingly designed entirely around the familiar and whatever metrics are currently popular. It’s games without a soul.

Now of course there are many issues with these types. For some reason, being the dreamer also tends to get you in charge. They are often natural leaders and born socialisers but this is not a good thing. You needs these ideas, and dreams for better but you always need a certain amount of enforced reality and control. Someone on the reigns bringing these back down to reality or you get the mess with Molyneux at the moment where what they set out to achieve is impossible. Curt schilling and the massive waste of money. Or you get cases like Red Five and Mark Kern and the constant shift between the next idea and iteration. Their ideas were amazing but lacked the necessary context and design in order to make them work. Without these ideas those projects become the same copy paste projects I’ve come to loath but with no direction, and no control they are mostly doomed projects.

Dreamers are the ones doing this for the absolute love of the game, the world and the experience. They are the ones moving the industry forward and creating experiences that shape the genre they enjoy. They constantly want better, and bigger and strive to achieve this whether that is realistic or not which is precisely why they also shouldn’t be in control of these projects. It’s definitely a balance there; someone to dream and broaden the horizon of what mmo’s can be and someone also grounded in the reality of what they can achieve.

It was pointed out in the comments that I was rather wrong in my judgement here… So terrible Iz I. See the total number of female characters is actually 6, yes they pulled a Samus switch on me.. Awesome blue robot suit is awesome. Anyway, with that it brings the female design total to 3 femme fatales and 3 that differ.. A decent balance really. OH WELL… rant diminished I guess although that study I linked is still pretty cool. Maybe just take out the blizzard name and add in any other stupid company you dislike atm*

I’m sure nearly everyone has seen the video by now but it’s worth showing off the new character for Blizzards FPS project Overwatch again. Most media sites and people have been going a little crazy over it with titles like “blizzard is really listening”, implying that the recent movement towards better female characters and Blizzards own troubled history with them might be changing. I however am a little less enthused.

I mean it’s great to see they are starting to create female characters out of the usual sexy female old; changing the features, the look, the general silhouette and of course the play style of these characters. But really, it’s but one character so far out of all the female characters that does this, and I would still consider the face and such young and cute, in those certain ways. Seriously just have a look at the character list and you see just how similar the other designs were with the same exaggerated silhouette: big boobs, small impossible waist and the ghetto booty for balance I guess… Oh, and can’t forget the revealing and form-fitting clothing.

Now look at the guys. Differences in size and stature. Armor design varies a lot. young, old and the awesome robotic types. Are we really thanking them for supposedly breaking the mold with just one female character.

I’m also a lot more annoyed at this supposed model in that it actually differs from nothing. It is still an incredibly stereotyped character.. I mean COME ON, the butch russian… really? We’re going there now. That’s been a joke for many for a long time now. A deviation from the regular population that has someone come to represent them. MOTHER RUSSIA, and all that idiocy.

I don’t know. I like that they are thinking from a different perspective but you could literally design a better character by stapling a few characteristics to the wall and then throwing darts to see where they stick. One morning I could stir some alphabet cereal and pick out a better character. My toddlers could have designed a better one (probably true actually). Do they not have anyone, anywhere in Blizzard that picks up on this. That can maybe point out any logical fallacies and blatant rip-offs of racist stereotypes to the design team. I can offer my talents there… unemployed remember =p

I get that a lot of these companies think they have to design like this these days to apparently appeal to their supposed demographics but really, have we not learnt by now how wrong and damaging that type of thinking is. There are a lot more demographics than just the younger male crowd looking at and playing games. In fact, many of those other groups now surpass them – together it isn’t even a contest. Wouldn’t diversity in design then be the better aim considering you will appease a greater amount of people.

In general I get the feeling the times are changing. Recently there was another study focusing on school age children and their own gaming opinions and interest which was rather enlightening. There are a few hypothesis you can easily make from this study too that continue to break that mold. First it was interesting that while Girls generally didn’t categorise themselves as gamers even though their habits where strong and comparable to the boys. Over 50% could easily be categorised as such, and yes that’s over a lot of different genres too. Multiple as well with only 19% saying they didn’t play games.. DIDN’T. That’s a huge shift from what a lot of people believe at the moment. And no, they weren’t all candy crush players you jackass

Another was in the choice of protagonist. As children get older their preferences seem to change. Girls begin to prefer to play female characters and boy gain a greater non preference. It makes sense in a way as the majority of games, especially those for the older demographics mainly have male protagonists.

Overall though there is always a strong sense of wanting to play characters that represent themselves, this would be common knowledge in many ways but it’s something I think a lot in development, or at least those calling the shots seem to forget. If you want more woman to play your game than the choice of characters matters and yes, even at those earlier ages in the studies recognise problematic and sexualized designs. I’m guessing this would matter during choice and purchase of games as well.

It should be common knowledge by now but apparently we still need studies like this showing certain habits and beliefs of the genders. There is a huge market there but an industry that is seemingly focused mainly on a single part, that seems rather silly. You would think, knowing what we do then that a greater parity in the amount and design of characters would be a far better idea for growing a greater playerbase and of course financially. Five out of the 16 released for Overwatch is much better than the usual but just one out of those that breaks from the sexy mold but still stereotyped is really not something I feel like celebrating. And I certainly don’t believe that Blizzard has been truly “listening” or learned anything just yet.

Tindalos Interactive today offers players the opportunity to wage war on an intergalactic scale as they announce a price discount event and free week for the science-fiction MMORTS game, Etherium. The explosive sci-fi RTS is now available as a free download through Valve’s popular digital distribution platform, Steam, providing an entire week of free-to-play gaming until the event ends on July 20th. Today also marks the beginning of a limited-time sale as various regions across the world can now purchase the game for a huge 50% off.

Etherium sees players manage resources, construct outposts and battle for control over important areas of the map as you crush your opponents with an impressive variety of units, taking the battle to the enemy on land, sea and air. Scientific research also plays a vital role as you’ll need to develop an in-depth tech tree to unlock a variety of new units, upgrades and structures to give you an edge over your opponents.

Unique gameplay mechanics such as dynamic weather systems and active-based battle systems come together to provide the RTS community with a refreshing take in the RTS genre

Master of Orion, the award-winning and critically acclaimed strategy game, has returned. The iconic 4X strategy gameplay of Explore, Expand, Exploit and Exterminate that formed the blueprint for a whole generation has been resurrected and upgraded. Stunningly enhanced for a new line of players, Master of Orion inherits and redefines its core elements, providing a graphically beautiful and deeply rewarding experience.

Master of Orion is the birth of a new era of strategy gameplay featuring the latest multi-platform technology and graphical systems. Within the depths of vast and volatile worlds, will you take up the challenge and “Conquer the Stars”?

Lead one of 10 playable races in your bid for galactic domination, each with several unique advisors, racial advantages, technologies and specialized ship designs. Will you choose the fearsome Alkari warriors, savvy Gnolam traders, the sentient Meklon robots, or a race closer to home: humans?

Colonize planets; grow your army; befriend nations or battle them. With Master of Orion’s massive galaxies ranging from 20 solar systems to over 100 with unique stars, new and untamed worlds are all waiting to be seized in your fight for supremacy.

Will you crush worlds; manipulate leaders; horde resources; all of the above? With nearly 100 unique technologies and over two dozen types of structures to aid in your galactic conquests, the choice is yours.

Already up on Steam Early Access, Galactic Civilizations 3 is a 64-bit title that the team says is its “largest and most diverse strategy sandbox to date.” Hexes are in instead of squares, there’s multiplayer, and Steam Workshop support should allow for extensive modding. Not only that, but Stardock have plans for a lot of DLC, which they say will come thick and fast for the first couple of months. Overall, it sounds like there’s going to be plenty to keep universe-conquering 4X strategy fans happy for quite some time.

Early Access beta versions are still being released with the most recent – released yesterday – offering performance improvements, AI improvements, balance changes and more. The game is still available as an Early Access title priced at £29.99, so if you’re desperate for more Galactic Civilizations action then you can jump in now before it releases.